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Presidential Politics, Polka and Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, a key battleground state, President Biden is making health care a key issue in his expected November matchup with former President Trump. Despite recent polls showing Trump holding a slight edge, many voters are undecided or unsure if they will vote. Rising health care costs are a major concern for residents in the…

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Daytime psilocybin adversely affects REM sleep in those with migraine

A study presented at the American Headache Society Annual Scientific Meeting found that patients with migraine who received daytime psilocybin experienced reduced REM sleep, with effects lasting beyond the day of administration. The study included eight adults with migraine who participated in two drug administration sessions, receiving either psilocybin or diphenhydramine. Results showed that psilocybin…

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Care practitioners performing surgery: time to develop a different career structure

Surgeons have criticized a trust for using non-doctors like surgical care practitioners to perform laparoscopic cholecystectomies, but research shows that those with experience and dexterity can perform well in selected patients. Doctors have complained of insufficient numbers, but the rise of non-doctors in healthcare may offer a cheaper alternative. The unique selling point of doctors…

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Mental health tied to longevity and stress resilience in aging

A study published in Nature Human Behaviour suggests that mental well-being is associated with healthy aging, regardless of socioeconomic status. The research indicates that individuals with better mental health tend to experience improved resilience, higher self-rated health, and longevity. Factors such as income, education, and occupation were linked to mental well-being, with income showing the…

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Study finds men eat meat more often than women, especially in gender-equal, developed countries

Researchers studied gender differences in meat consumption across cultures, finding that men generally consume more meat than women, except in some countries like India, Indonesia, and China. The study revealed that in nations with higher gender equality and human development, this gender difference in meat consumption is more pronounced. The findings suggest that economic factors…

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Montana Starts Drive-Thru Blood Pickup for Rural Ambulances

Crystal Hiwalker almost died due to a ruptured ectopic pregnancy during a snowstorm in Montana. A blood transfusion could have saved her life, prompting the creation of the Montana Interfacility Blood Network. This program allows ambulances to pick up blood from hospitals en route to advanced trauma centers, especially benefiting rural patients who face delays…

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Healthcare Execs’ Urgent Calls To Action

Healthcare leaders at AHIP 2024 emphasized the need for change in the industry by focusing on what consumers and employers need, leveraging AI, and rebuilding trust. CEO Dan Mendelson highlighted the importance of better primary care and digital analytics. Dr. Sachin Jain called for addressing the abnormal aspects of healthcare and solving problems systematically. Andrea…

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Varadkar launches RISE project

A survey conducted by RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences highlights the urgent need for education on HIV stigma among healthcare professionals and students. A new module has been introduced to address this issue. The module aims to improve understanding of HIV stigma and its impact. The survey results and the new educational initiative…

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Addressing disordered eating in the context of obesity

The relationship between obesity and disordered eating behaviors is complex and influenced by psychological, physiological, and environmental factors. As obesity rates increase globally, understanding this connection is crucial for addressing the disease. Disordered eating behaviors, such as binge eating and restrictive dieting, often coexist with obesity, complicating efforts to achieve and maintain a healthy weight….

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To design new enzymes, Basecamp hunts rare proteins at the world’s end

Basecamp Research, a London-based company, serves as a bridge between biodiversity and biotech by partnering with local organizations globally to help communities understand and preserve their local biodiversity. They employ scientists with diverse backgrounds, including a diving instructor for Jason Momoa. These partnerships also provide genome sequences to support AI models that aim to generate…

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Lateral episiotomy or no episiotomy in vacuum assisted delivery in nulliparous women (EVA): multicentre, open label, randomised controlled trial

This study conducted in Sweden aimed to determine the effect of lateral episiotomy compared to no episiotomy on obstetric anal sphincter injury in nulliparous women undergoing vacuum extraction. A total of 717 women were included in the study, with half assigned to lateral episiotomy and the other half to no episiotomy. The results showed that…

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Surge in fatal opioid overdoses in Ontario shelters, report finds

A study by the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network and Public Health Ontario found a significant increase in accidental opioid-related deaths within shelters in Ontario from 2018 to 2022, with 210 deaths recorded. The number of deaths more than tripled during the study period, particularly during the pandemic. The report underscores the disproportionate impact of…

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Pediatric RSV infections surged 2017-23, straining U.S. hospitals

A recent study in JAMA Network Open examined pediatric respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. RSV is a leading cause of pediatric hospitalizations for respiratory complications. Hospitalizations declined during the pandemic but surged in 2022-23. The study found older RSV-infected children post-pandemic, more hospitalizations but lower proportion of patients requiring…

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Anticoagulation Shows No Benefit in Preventing Second Stroke

A subanalysis of the NOAH-AFNET 6 trial showed that patients who have had a stroke and were treated with oral anticoagulation with edoxaban did not have a reduced risk of a second stroke compared to those not receiving anticoagulation. Additionally, the risk of major bleeding was more than quadruple in those receiving anticoagulation. However, patients…

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HealthTap now accepts insurance for virtual primary care services

California-based virtual healthcare provider HealthTap is now an in-network provider with major insurance plans, traditional Medicare, and Medicare Advantage. They offer virtual primary care services including mental health, urgent care, sexual health, and wellness. Patients can review doctor bios, watch video interviews, and schedule appointments, aiming to provide quality care no matter the location or…

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Surgeon general’s social media warning draws praise, pushback

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy calls for a warning label on social media platforms, citing mental health risks for adolescents. Despite some benefits, like social support and information seeking, the potential harms, such as cyberbullying and exposure to discrimination, are also present. Researchers note that the evidence linking social media to mental health issues in children…

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AI Enhances Readability of Cancer Information for Patients

A recent study found that the AI chatbot ChatGPT can improve the readability of online cancer-related patient information while maintaining quality. Patients with cancer often struggle with complex information online, so researchers had ChatGPT rewrite content about various types of cancer to a sixth-grade reading level. The revision significantly improved readability to a high school…

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Takeda Drug Fails Pivotal Tests in 2 Rare Epilepsies; Path Forward Depends on Regulatory Flexibility

Takeda Pharmaceutical’s drug soticlestat, in development for rare forms of epilepsy, did not meet main goals in Phase 3 clinical trials for both Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes. However, the drug showed some positive results in secondary measures. Takeda is continuing to analyze the data and noted that the drug was well tolerated. The drug originated…

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UHG warns patients of ‘significant pressure’ on its ED

University Hospital Galway (UHG) is facing significant pressure in its emergency department with over 70 patients on trolleys. Nearly 400 patients presented to the ED over the weekend, leading to the postponement of some procedures to deal with high demand. The hospital is prioritizing urgent cases. Nationally, there were 526 patients waiting for beds in…

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Legal Recreational Cannabis Encourages College Enrollment

Ahmed El Fatmaoui’s research shows that in states where recreational marijuana is legal, students are more likely to enroll in college and complete their degree on time. Data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and US National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) over the 2009-2019 period showed that the legal status of cannabis…

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Google creates Tx-LLM for drug discovery and therapeutic development

Google Research and Google DeepMind have developed a new LLM called Tx-LLM for drug discovery and therapeutic development by fine-tuning from PaLM-2. Tx-LLM targets 66 tasks in drug discovery and utilizes PaLM-2 technology. It was trained using 709 datasets and constructs the TxT collection for drug synergy prediction by combining free-text instructions and representations of…

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Vaping as good as Chantix to help quit smoking: JAMA study

A clinical trial published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that e-cigarettes were as effective as varenicline in helping people quit smoking. The study randomized 458 daily smokers to receive either varenicline, nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, or a placebo. After 26 weeks, similar percentages of participants in both groups had stopped smoking. While varenicline is considered the most…

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Major US church group votes to oppose IVF

The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the US with 14 million members, voted to oppose the use of in vitro fertilization (IVF) at its annual meeting. Despite speeches in support, 10,000 delegates voted against IVF but did not ban it. The resolution stated that “human being” includes “frozen embryonic human beings.” Roman…

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Stroke Risk Scale Helps ID Candidates for Anticoagulation

A study presented at the Heart Rhythm Society meeting analyzed the use of the CHA2DS2-VASc stroke risk calculator in distinguishing patients with subclinical atrial fibrillation who would benefit from anticoagulation. Results showed that patients with a CHA2DS2-VASc score of 4 or above had a significant risk of stroke but could benefit from anticoagulation. The study…

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Are GLP-1 Drugs Here to Stay?

GLP-1s like Ozempic and Wegovy are gaining popularity in the healthcare industry with over 9 million prescriptions written in the last three months. These drugs are effective in weight loss, but long-term side effects remain unknown. Concerns include high discontinuation rates due to side effects and the need for lifestyle changes to sustain weight loss…

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Transition from pediatric to adult rheumatic care plagued by ‘lack of clear information’

Caregivers of pediatric rheumatology patients transitioning to adult care reported a lack of clear information on the necessary procedures. A study presented at the EULAR 2024 Congress surveyed 394 individuals, finding that up to 30% of caregivers felt they did not have enough information about the transition. The study also highlighted deficiencies in continuity of…

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A critic of the U.S. response speaks out

STAT is providing regular updates on the H5N1 avian flu outbreak in the US, with concerns raised about the government’s response to the virus in dairy cows. Seth Berkley criticized the surveillance efforts and lack of progress in containing the spread of the virus. The US Department of Agriculture has confirmed infections in 102 herds…

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How virtual reality transforms women’s labor experiences

A recent study explores the use of virtual reality (VR) as a non-pharmacological intervention for managing labor pain and anxiety. Pregnant women often use various techniques, such as heat packs and massage, to reduce pain and anxiety during childbirth. VR offers a promising approach, allowing users to enter immersive environments that distract from the pain….

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Fructose and Fructan Malabsorption Strongly Linked in IBS

A study found a significant association between fructose and fructan malabsorption in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Among 186 patients, 38.2% had fructose malabsorption, 48.9% had fructan malabsorption, and 22.6% had both. Those who tested positive for one carbohydrate were almost twice as likely to test positive for the other. The authors recommend considering…

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Canary Medical receives FDA breakthrough device designation for smart lumbar cartridge

Canary Medical received FDA breakthrough device designation for its Canturio lumbar cartridge, a smart sensor application for spine surgery. The application provides kinematic data for assessing treatment and risk of degenerative disc disease, instability, and non-fusion in spine surgery patients. This is the fourth Canary Medical product to receive breakthrough device designation from the FDA….

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J.P. Morgan, mifepristone, Cabaletta Bio news

The biotech industry celebrated a Supreme Court ruling supporting FDA’s regulation of the abortion pill, preventing potential destabilization. Industry leaders, like John Maraganore and Daphne Zohar, praised the decision for upholding science and women’s rights. FDA Commissioner Robert Califf expressed joy during a meeting. The FDA also discussed improving expert advisory committees, addressing concerns about…

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Increasing use and awareness of oral nicotine pouches detailed

A review of 62 studies conducted by Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center examines the increasing popularity of oral nicotine pouches in the U.S. These pouches, marketed as tobacco-free, contain nicotine and are seen as a potential harmful alternative for youth who do not use tobacco or nicotine. The study found that while the pouches…

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Understanding salivary gland microenvironment to advance Sjögren’s disease treatment

TLS are lymphoid structures found in inflamed salivary glands in patients with Sjögren’s disease, associated with increased disease activity, autoantibody production, and malignancy risk. A study by Saba Nayar focused on mapping different cell types and populations within these structures to better understand the salivary gland microenvironment. Another study by Loïc Meudec looked at developing…

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